Washing machine



Dec. 13, 1932. B NS K S 1,890,493

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MICHAEL H BONSIAKOS HIS #TTOR/YE'Y- Dec. 13, 1932. M. N. BONSIAKOS 93 wasmue momma Filed June 14, 1932 2 Sheets-$heet 2 nvns'xvrok MICHAEL N. BONSIAKOS' HIS lTTM/YEK Patented Dec. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASHING Application filed June 14,

My invention relates to improvements in Washing machines of the larger, or commercial type, for use in large laundries, and the like, wherein a perforated bowl is rotatably suspended within a suitable housing and operates in conjunction with means or rotating said bowl at a relatively high rate of speed to discharge water therefrom, and from clothing therein, by the action of centrifugal force, and also with means for reciprocating a perforated plunger plate within said bowl for the purpose of agitating and forcing a suitable washing solution thru said clothing,

and also with means for temporarily storing a hot washing solution while cold water is being forced thru the clothes, said solution being re-used for a subsequent operation. v

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved washing machine of the larger or commercial type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved washing machine having improved means for washing several batches of different types of clothes simultaneously and yet keeping said several types separate.

A further object is to provide improved means for reciprocating a. perforated bottom plate, or plunger, within the bowl to agitate clothing within a washing solution therein whereby said clothing may be properly cleansed.

A still further object is to provide imwashed an initial soaking and rinsing of cold water and for draining said water previously to exposing the said clothes to a hot washing solution.

A still further object is to provide separate chambers for the retention of said hot Washing solution, and for circulating the same thru a subsequent batch of clothes, thereby effecting a saving of the hot washing solution and the ingredients therein.

A still further object is to provide improved means for moving perforated horizontal partitions to provide several separate compartments of different capacities, within the bowl, whereby separate batches of clothes proved means for giving clothing to be' MACHINE 1932. Serial No. 617,084.

of difierent types, not usually washed together, may be washed simultaneously without contact with each other.

A still further object is to provide liquidpressure operated or actuated means for operating the several valves and cocks required to circulate fluid thru the machine and to facilitate the operation of flushing and draining said machine.

A still further object is to provide improved means whereby reciprocation of a perforated plunger within various other operations, incident to a clothes-Washing operation, may be efficiently carried out.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts thruout the specification and drawings, and in which-- Fig. 1 isa broken vertical sectional view of my improved device; 7

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the housing, with the top thereof and its supporting structure removed, the rotative and reciprocative mechanisms being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of thereciprocating mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a broken detail thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a broken detailed view disclosing the mechanism for holding the perforated partition plates at different angles within the bowl.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate a preferably circular housing having a top 2 supported by suitable angles 3 adjacent the upper edge of said housing 1, said top 2 being provided with a pair of openings 4: having suitable covers 5.

A circular or cylindrical perforated bowl 6 is rotatably suspended by means of a vertically disposed shaft 7 in turn suitably suspended from the ceiling, or suitable overhead structure 8 whereby said shaft 7 may be rotated.

An inner sleeve 9 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 7 and is connected at its lower end to the bottom of the bowl 6, the upper end of said inner sleeve being provided with a suitable pulley 12 by means of which said inner sleeve 9 and bowl 6 may be rotated.

The bowl 6 is provided with several vertically disposed keys14 upon which a perforated plunger, or bottom plate, 11, and other plates hereinafter described, are slidably mounted, whereby rotation of said inner sleeve 9, bowl 6, and plates may be obtained.

A perforated central well 16 also rests upon the plunger, or plate, 11 within which is mounted a pair ofpipes 17 constituting a source of water supply for the interior of said bowl 6, in a manner hereinafter more fully set forth.

A second. perforated plate 18 rests upon the plate, or plunger, 11 and. is provided with a pair of threaded apertures 19 arranged to receive the threaded ends of a pair of piston stems 21 movable thru the openings 4 of the cover 2 and connected to pistons within fluidpressure cylinders 22 arranged upon a suitable superstructure 23 arranged above the housing 1 and bowl 6 therein.

A plurality of perforated lates 26 are also slidably mounted within the owl 6 and upon the keys 14 therein and these plates aresecured, by threaded rods 27, to a plate 28 thereupon and of lesser diameter so as not to engage the keys 14. The plate 28 is raised and lowered by means of the stem 31 connected to pistons 32 within fluid-pressure operated cylinders 33 mounted upon the superstructure 23, as disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

An outer sleeve 34 is rotatably mounted upon the inner sleeve 9 and is connected at its bottom to the perforated plunger, or bottom plate 11, while its upper end is provided with a horizontally disposed annular flange 36 whose under side is engaged by a pair of cams 37 mounted upon gears 38 meshing with pinions 39 upon a shaft 41 provided with a pulley 42, the purpose and objects of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

Arranged below the housing 1 I have provided a pair of separate compartments 43 and 44 communicating with the bottom of said housing 1 by means of separate passages 45 and 46, respectively. These passages or out lets are controlled by means of suitable valves 47, as shown in section in the lower right hand portion of Fig. 1 of the drawings, the mechanism for the opening, or passage, 46 being the same, said valve 47 being connected to a piston 48 within a cylinder 49 provided with pipes 51 leading into the cylinder 49 at opposite ends thereof, and connecting with a suitable valve mechanism 52 in turn connected to a high pressure fluid pipe 53.

Pipes 54 and 56 connect the chambers 43 and 44 respectively to the intake of a suitable pump 57 and a discharge 78 from said pump 57 leads to a ring 59 arranged within the upper portion of the housing 1 and provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting spouts 61- directing Water from said ring 59 onto the top plates 28 and 26 of the perforated bowl 6.

The pipe 56 is provided with a valve 62 stand pipe being provided with a covered hopper 66 provided for the introduction of liquid soa bleaching solutions, soda, or other suitale washing ingredients. The said pipe is also provided with a valve controlled drain 67.

A high pressure fluid pipe 68 is provided and leads to suitable valves 69 having leads or connections 71 to opposite ends of the cylinders 22 and 33 whereby pressure may be applied to opposite sides of the pistons, within said cylinders, to raise or lower the piston stems thereof and any mechanism which may be attached thereto.

A pocket 73 is provided within the housing 1 for the introduction of solid bars of soap if required.

In operation the covers 5 are removed from the openings 4 of the top member 2 of the housin 1 and the proper valve 69 is opened to admit high-pressure fluid to the under side of the piston in the cylinders 33 which will raise the top 2 to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, or directly under the superstructure 23 and temporarily held in place by the threaded stems 76. At the same time the top plate 28 and the separator plates 26 secured thereto by the threaded rods or stems 27 will also be raised and the housing 1 and bowl 6 will be opened The clothes to be washed are then placed within the bowland the valves 69 are again operated to connect the high-pressure fluid from the pipe 68 to the upper side of the pistons within the cylinders 33 and the plate 28 and separators 26 are lowered upon the said clothes.

If it is desired to wash several different batches of clothes the bowl 6 may be separated into several compartments by rotating the threaded stems 27 to release the lowermost plate 26 which may he held at the required elevation by means of staples or pins 77 inserted thru the proper apertures of the apertured bowl 6 and preferably adjacent each key 14 as disclosed in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Theicylinders 33 are again operated to raise the plates 28 and 26 until the several plates, with batches of clothes placed therebetween, are in the required positions and the bowl 6 is loaded. The cover 2 is then released and secured in position, the threaded stems 27 being released from said plates or separators 26 so that they may rotate with the bowl 6, while the upper plate 28, not engaging the keys 14, may remain stationary. Cold water is next admitted to the housing 1 and bowl 6 thru the pipes 64 and-65 and by means of the pulley 42 which operates the cams 37 The flange 36 on the outer sleeve 34 is reciprocated vertically which causes a vertical reciprocation of the plunger plate 11 and the plate 18 upon it, which reciprocation forces water thru the clothes and gives them an initial soaking to loosen the dirt.

After this operation the cold water is drawn off or drained from the housing 1 thru the drain 67 by opening the same.

This drain is then closed and hot water is introduced into the housing 1 thru the stand pipe 65 from the hot water pipe 79. At this stage bleach, soda, or other washing solution ingredient is introduced into the hopper 66 and thru the pipe 65 into the housing 1 and bowl 6. If solid bars of soap are required they may be introduced into the housing 1 thru the trap 73. I

The reciprocation of the plunger 11 an plate 18 thereon is repeated, and at the same time the passage 46 and valve 62 are opened I permitting the hot washing solution to pass into the chamber or compartment 44, thru intakes 56 to the pump 57 by which it is forced thru the discharge pipe 7 8 to the ring 59 and nozzles or spouts 61 thereon and projected onto the'perforatedtop plates 28 and 26 and thence into the bowl 6.

The reciprocation of the perforated plunger plate 11 and plate 18 thereon has the efiect of raising the clothing being washed and 5 pressing the same upwardly and laterally against the under side or surface of the perforated plates 26 and the perforated sides of the bowl 6, thereby squeezing the washing solution out of the clothes and drawin it into said clothes again by the percolating of the top 2 of the housing 1.

After the clothes have been washed with the hot washing solution, the valve 62 is closed and the hot water, or solution, is retained within the compartment 44 available for the next washing operation, as this solution may be used for washing several successive batches of clothing and is notto be drained from the housing 1 after each separate Washing operation. Hence the provision of the compartment 44 to retain this charge of washing solution while the housing 1 and bowl 6 and the clothes therein are slushed with clean cold rinsing water in the manner hereinbefore described, while the said hot washing solution is retained within said compartment 44 ready for the next washing operation.

The cold water rinsing operation being completed, to wash, or rinse, the hot solution from the clothes, after the housing 1 and bowl 6 have been drained of said solutiofiyw said cold water is not sufficiently soiled to be drained from the housing 1 and, conse quently, it is drained into the cold water compartment 43 and there retained until required for the initial soaking, or rinsing, of the next batch of clothes to be washed.

After rinsing, rotative power is applied to the pulley 12 at the top of the inner sleeve 9 and the bowl is rapidly rotated and the remaining moisture therein, and in the clothes, is removed b the action of the centrifugal force thus eveloped in the well known manner.

The centrifugal action also has the efiect of piling the clothing against the inner surface of the outer wall of the bowl 6 and beyond the axes of the threaded stems 21 and holes 19 in plate 18.

In order to unload the bowl 6, the cover 2 of the housing 1 is removed, as above described, the plates 28 and 26 are removed, and the piston stems 21 of the cylinders 22 are lowered thru the holes 81 of said plates 28 and 26 until the lower threaded ends of said stems 21 are screwed into the threaded apertures 19 of the plate 18 resting upon the plunger plate 11 in the bottom of the bowl 6, such passage of said stems 21 being permitted as the clothing has been piled up vertically against the vertical walls of the bowl 6 b the centrifugal action.

he high pressure fluid from the pipe 68 is now directed under the pistons of the cylinders 22 and the plate 18 is raised and the clothing within the bowl is also raised to the top of said bowl and the removal of said washed clothing is thereby facilitated, it being understood that the height of such a bowl in a commercial machine may be considerable and too great to allow an operator to reach into the bottom of said bowl and remove the washed clothing therefrom.

The plates 28 and 26 may also be moved downwardly by means of the cylinders 33 to press the said plates against the clothes after the initial cold water soaking in order to remove surplus moisture therefrom without employing the rotation of the bowl and the centrifugal action resulting therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A washing machine comprising a hous- I ing; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon. the bottom of said bowl; a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate within the bowl to agitate washing solution thru clothing to be washed between said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; and means for draining said housing and bowl. I

2. A washing machine comprising a housing; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of said bowl; a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate within the bowl to agitate washing solution thru clothing to be washed between said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means for draining said housing and bowl; and means for pressing sa d perforated top against clothing within said bowl for pressing water therefrom. 3. A washing machine comprising a housmg; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of sa d bowl; a perforated top mounted upon sa d bowl; means for reciprocating said plate within the bowl to agitate washing solution thru clothing to be washed between said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means for draining said housing and bowl; and fluid-pressure oper ated means for pressing said perforated top against said clothing to remove water therefrom. 4. A washing machine comprising a housmg; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of W said bowl; a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate within the bowl to agitate washing solution thru clothing to be washed between said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means for draining said housing and bowl; a pair of separate compartments communicating with said housing for separately storing hot and cold water in said separate compartments; and means for circulating water from either compartment thru said bowl.

'5. A washing machine comprising a housing; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of a said bowl: a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate within the bowl to agitate washing solution thru clothing to be washed between said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means for draining said housing and bowl; a pair of'separate compartments communicating with said housing for separately storing hot and cold water; and means for conveying water from either compartment onto the top of said bowl.

6. A washing machine comprising a housing; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of said bowl; a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to re move liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means for draining ,said housing and bowl; a pair of separate compartments communicating with said housmg for separately storing hot and cold water; means for conveying water from either compartment onto the top of said bowl; and flu1d pressure operated means for cont-rolling communication between either compartment and said housing.

7. A washing machine comprising a housing; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of said bowl; a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate within the bowl to agitate washing solutlon thru clothing to be washed between said late and top; means for introducing a was mg solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means for draining said housing and bowl; a plurality of separate perforated plates adapted to be detachably mounted at various elevations within said bowl; and means for supporting said plates at various elevations within said bowl to form separate compartments therein.

8. A washing machine comprising a housing; a perforated bowl suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of said bowl; a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate within the bowl to agitate washing solution thru clothing to be washed between said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing .and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid frofn said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means'for draining said housing and bowl; a plurality of separate perforated plates adapted to be detachably mounted at various elevations within said bowl; means for supporting said plates at various elevations within said bowl to form separate compartments therein; and fluidpressure operated means for moving said plurality of perforated plates to Various elevations.

9. A washing machine comprising a housing; a perforated boWl' suspended therein; a perforated plate resting upon the bottom of said bowl; a perforated top mounted upon said bowl; means for reciprocating said plate Within the bowl to agitate Washing solution thru clothing to be washed between said plate and top; means for introducing a washing solution into said housing and bowl; means for rotating said bowl at high speed to remove liquid from said clothing and bowl by centrifugal force; means for draining said housing and bowl; and fluid pressure operated means for raising the perforated plate on the bottom of said bowl to the top thereof to facilitate the removal of clothing from said bowl.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

MICHAEL N. BONSIAKOS. 

